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Honors Program

Dr. Rita Barnes, Director

The Honors Program provides challenging learning opportunities for academically gifted students, motivating them to achieve their full academic and career potential. Enrollment in Honors classes is limited. Emphasis is placed on individual initiative and development, leadership and teamwork, critical thinking and communication skills.

Honors Sections

Honors sections are available in a number of regularly offered courses required of freshmen and sophomores. These sections are available to Honors Program students on a permit-only basis. Honors sections provide more intensive discussion, presentations, and greater opportunities for individual performance.

Full members of the Honors Program are given priority in registering for all Honors courses. Under special circumstances an Honors student may take a regular section as an Honors contract course.

Spring Semester

Levels of Participation

High school students with a composite ACT score of 26 or higher who have applied for admission to the University are invited to apply for full membership in the Honors Program. Transfer students with an ACT of 26 or higher and a college QPA of 3.5 may apply to transfer into the Honors Program. Out-of-state students with an ACT of 26 or higher or equivalent SAT score and a high school grade point average of 3.5 may be considered for the Honors Academic Scholarship, which waives out-of-state tuition fees in exchange for 60 hours of service. Students already enrolled at Tennessee Tech who have completed twelve semester hours of college course work with a cumulative quality point average of 3.5 or better may apply for full membership in the Honors Program. Students at all levels of membership must complete at least one Honors course per semester until completing the course requirements listed below (“Graduation Requirements”) to maintain active membership eligibility.

Full Membership. All students must take HON 1010 during their first fall semester in Honors. To be accepted for full membership, a student must demonstrate the ability and willingness to meet the requirements for graduation in cursu honorum. At the end of the first semester in the Honors Program, a student must have at least a cumulative 3.1 average to maintain full membership. After the first semester, full members must maintain a cumulative 3.5 grade point average and take at least one honors course each semester. Full membership may be reinstated for students who have continued taking Honors courses when they regain a 3.5 cumulative QPA.

Associate Membership. A member whose QPA falls between 3.1 and 3.5 after the first semester continues participation as an associate member, taking Honors courses and participating in the Associated Scholars Guild.

Affiliate Membership. Any student who is not a full or associate member but is continuing to fulfill Honors course requirements is an affiliate member. In general, an incoming freshman must have a composite ACT core of at least 26, and a previously enrolled student must have a cumulative QPA of at least 3.0 in order to enroll in an Honors course. However, exceptions may be made in individual cases, upon recommendation of the course instructor. Affiliate members may continue to be active in the Associated Scholars Guild.

Honors 2000-level personal development courses do not count toward this requirement.

Graduation Requirements

A full member of the Honors Program may graduate in cursu honorum by completing the following requirements in addition to all relevant university, college, and departmental requirements:

Completion of at least 15 semester hours in Honors courses in at least three different disciplines (Honors sections or Honors Contracts by permit).

Completion of two Honors colloquia (HON 4013) or one colloquium and one directed studies (HON 4023) or Honors Thesis. Honors-level capstone, design, thesis, or research in the major may be substituted by pre-approval only.

A minimum cumulative quality point average of 3.5.

Completion of the Honors exit interview procedure.

A student graduating in cursu honorum will wear a gold stole and be given special recognition at the commencement ceremony and will have the notation “in cursu honorum” on the diploma and transcript.